Five-star Gunners power into fifth

Santi Cazorla helped himself to a hat-trick as Arsenal closed up on the top four of the Barclays Premier League with a 5-2 win at bottom club Reading.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had called for a response following last week's shock Capital One Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Bradford - and got it as the visitors surged into a 3-0 half-time lead following Lukas Podolski's well-taken goal and a brace from Cazorla.

The Spaniard completed his treble on the hour, and although the Royals rallied with goals from substitute Adam Le Fondre and Jimmy Kebe, Arsenal made sure there would be no late drama when Theo Walcott slotted in a fifth with 10 minutes left to close within two points of Tottenham.

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